'Do what you can and live a good life!' - 104-year-old Banbury woman offers advice on birthday

Banbury-born and bred, Dorcus was born in Grimsbury in 1920 and has remained loyal to the town throughout her entire life.

The matriarch of a large family, she has mothered two children and played a big part in the lives of her two grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and a great-great-grandchild.

Prior to family life, Dorcus served in the Women's Land Army during the Second World War before marrying her husband, Horace.

She and Horace adopted two children in the 1950s and also opened up their home to foster a number of children.

Dorcus and her twin sister, Edith Dumbleton, were born just 45 minutes apart and were believed to be the oldest twin sisters in the country before Edith’s death last year.

On Friday, Docus was joined by 17 of her close friends and family at The Easington pub for a meal and birthday celebrations for what she described as 'a wonderful and marvellous get-together’.

Still active and regularly seen cleaning and polishing the kitchen floor at the house she purchased in 1954, she says the secret to a long and healthy life is to ‘do what you like and don’t worry about what other people say’.

The 104-year-old also shared some wisdom for future generations; she said: “Young people should just do what they can, try to live a good life, and be honest with people.”

Christine Bemand, Dorcus’s niece, who lives locally and spends a lot of time with her, said: “It’s been a challenging year for Dorcus because she lost her twin, but she still remembers her and still speaks to her every day.

"Dorcus tries to stay as happy as she can. She is still very active and gets her jobs done first thing every morning, and then if she doesn’t get round to doing anything else, at least she has done what she set out to do.”

Dorcus added: “I try not to put off tomorrow what I can do today.”

Dorcus and her family thanked everyone for their kindness, birthday wishes, and for making Dorcus’ 104th birthday a special day.